


The hurt in your eyes

by Arawynn



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Soulmates, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 22:52:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17589971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arawynn/pseuds/Arawynn
Summary: After a massive confrontation with your Soulmate Bruce, you avoid him. Reconciliation? Seems impossible. Until it seems like you might lose Bruce.





	The hurt in your eyes

Three days. That’s how long you hadn’t seen Bruce. _Avoided him_ , to be exact. It had been difficult for you – the two of you were Soulmates after all and rarely left each other’s side. You had to fight the constant pull towards him. But those three days ago, everything had gone wrong.

The day had been hard from the beginning. It was the third anniversary of your parents’ death. They had died in a horrible car crash. At least that was what you’d been told. Until you were put right.

Bruce had of course noticed your sadness. And after telling him why, he had paled and gone silent. For quite a while. When he started talking again, it was slow and hesitant. Your parents hadn’t died during a car crash. At least not a normal one. The Hulk had hurled a rock fragment at their car which had caused them to crash.

To say it had been a shock was the understatement of the year. The logical part of you knew that it wasn’t Bruce’s fault. And Hulk wouldn’t have done it if he knew they were _your_ parents – the Big Guy loved and adored you just as much as Bruce himself. But the emotional part felt hurt and betrayed. You had told that you needed time to come to terms with his revelation and were in need of distance.

* * *

That had been three days ago. You hadn’t seen Bruce a single time during these days. Neither did you leave your room in the tower. The other Avengers provided you with food and water but gave you your space apart from that. Until Tony barged in. Without knocking. Which was absolutely unlike him, no matter how rude he sometimes behaved.

“You need to come with me. Now.”, the billionaire said urgently. “I don’t feel like leaving my bed.”, you answered from inside the blanket burrito you had turned yourself into. Tony sighed. “Bruce tried to kill himself.”, he dropped the bombshell. You sat upright in an instant. “The Hulk protects him from being hurt. Let alone dying.”, you answered in an attempt to calm your worries. Bruce had told you about his first suicide attempt and how the Big Guy had prevented it.

“That’s why he took sleeping pills. No chance for the Big Guy to interfere – at least directly. The doctors said any normal human would be dead by the dose Bruce took. It looks bad, even with the Other Guy presumably helping him.”, Tony answered deadpan. You were out of the bed within seconds. Without tangling up in your blankets. The problem that Hulk had caused your parents’ death took a backseat. You’d figure it out once Bruce was better.

After the billionaire’s surprise wore off, he led you to Bruce’s room at the infirmary. Seeing your Soulmate made your heart clench. The only medical equipment you could identify was the artificial respiratory equipment. Everything inside you ached and twisted into uncomfortable knots. What felt like a second later, you were sitting next to Bruce, your hand cupping his carefully. You had no idea how you had gotten there, but it wasn’t important. Nothing but your Soulmate mattered.

Somebody gently touching your shoulder startled you. Based on her clothes, you guessed she was a doctor. “Dr. Banner is stable but…on a below average level. His entire body is basically just ticking over, as if he’s in some kind of hibernation. We have no idea when he’ll wake up. Or if.”, she explained. Your heart shattered. Bruce might not wake up again? Be still somewhat there but not really? It was a nightmare of the worst kind.

You didn’t know how long you cried at his bedside. How long it took you until there were no more tears you could cry. And after that, you had sobbed for another while. At some point, you simply fell asleep. Your head next to his hand you were holding in yours.

* * *

The next two days, you rarely left Bruce’s room at the infirmary. Only when you needed to visit the bathroom. You always told Bruce that you were going to leave for a short time and that you’d come back. As if he could hear you. And a part of you was afraid he might believe you had finally left him. That it would kill him. The Avengers brought you food and somebody had gotten you a simple camp bed so you wouldn’t have to sleep in the chair. All of it happened in silence.

During the second day, Bruce’s condition improved enough that he didn’t need to be given the artificial respiration anymore. But that was the only improvement. He was still stable on a low level and in this coma. And the doctors were still unable to say if or when your Soulmate would wake up. There was _nothing_ you could to and it was eating you alive.

* * *

“I know you did this because you thought I’d leave you. That you’d lose me. But… **you had me…you always have**. Our last…conversation…was difficult and I said I didn’t know if I could stay with you after what you told me. But now I know. My love for you hasn’t changed. So _please_ come back to me.” It was the fourth day by now and you were once again talking to Bruce as if he was awake.

Suddenly, you felt a weak movement. As if Bruce had moved his hand – the one you were holding basically all the time. But a second later, you told yourself it had to be your imagination. For the past two days, there had been no sign that his condition changed – be it for better or worse. It was crushing your heart all over again.

Until the movement happened again. And stronger than before. You shouted the doctor’s name while gently cupping your Soulmate’s face. His eyelids were softly fluttering – as if he was trying to open them. “You can do this, love. You’re strong enough for this.”, you whispered. With an almost inaudible groan, Bruce actually managed to open his eyes. You grinned while tears streamed down your face. In contrast to the tears you had shed these past days, they were happy tears. Your forehead touched Bruce’s. After a few seconds of pure disbelief, his eyes were filled with love and adoration.

Suddenly, you were pushed aside. The doctor and two nurses had rushed into the room and were now hastily examining him. The calm beating of Bruce’s heart monitor quickly became frantic. Within a second, you were by his side and took his hand in yours. Almost instantly, he calmed down again. “I won’t leave you again.”, you promised softly while your thumb rubbed across the back of his hand. A soft smile appeared on his face.

After the medical staff declared that Bruce was healthy as possible given the situation, they left the two of you alone again. “Y/N…”, he whispered, his voice hoarse from the lack of use and artificial respiration. You gently hushed him. “I’m glad you’re well. And I’m sorry that I cut you off. I will not let it happen again.”, you said softly. “I’m glad. And I’m sorry.”, Bruce answered. Once again, you hushed him. “We can talk about that later. Right now nothing is more important than you getting healthy again.”, you told him gently. Bruce smiled and squeezed your hand.

It would take a while until the emotional wounds of these past week were healed. But you would work through this together. And you’d do everything in your power to built a new kind of love and happiness in your relationship – even if the old one was lost. But that didn’t mean the new one would be less.


End file.
